Are medical examiners and coroners the same thing?

Both medical examiners and coroners take charge in investigating suspicious deaths. Medical examiners are medical doctors (MD, DO) with special training in forensic science and/or pathology. They are employed by the state or county and they perform autopsies. Coroners are elected officials who may or may not be medical doctors. They may perform autopsies if they are qualified. If not, they merely serve an administrative role to oversee the facility where autopsies are performed.

they are not, one is just an upgraded version of the other

Nope medical examiners study the body to see what had happened. Coroners dress up the body to make it look presentable for the funeral.

No.

yes it is the generic name ;)